Method for fabricating bra structure

ABSTRACT

A method for fabricating a bra structure includes forming an integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate, and compression-molding the integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate to form the bra structure. The bra structure includes two cups connected to each other, each having an apex area and a peripheral area, wherein each the apex is proximate centrally middle area of an associated cup of the two cups and each the peripheral is proximate laterally outer area of the associated cup, and two wings respectively extending from the peripheral areas of the two cups, wherein ends of the wings, which are far away from the cups, are configured to be fastened together. The two cups and two wings are made of the integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate, and the integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate is compressed to have a larger thickness in the apex areas than in the peripheral areas and the wings.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of and claims the priority benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/361,230, filed on Nov. 25, 2016. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent applications are hereby incorporated by references herein and made a part of the specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a bra structure, particularly to a method for fabricating an air-permeable, thin and lightweight bra structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Brassieres are the most intimate clothes for women. As the living quality has been greatly upgraded, consumers demand higher quality and comfort of brassieres. Refer to FIG. 1, a common brassiere 10 includes left and right cups 12, left and right wings 14, left and right shoulder straps 16, and a back fastener 18. The left and right wings 14, left and right shoulder straps 16 are usually fabricated by sewing together several pieces of identical fabric or different fabrics with many seams 20 thereon. The seams 20 affect esthetics and comfort. The conventional cup 12 at least uses two types of fabrics, including the outer fabric and the inner fabric, or further including Polyurethane (PU) sponge foam or a cotton fabric between the outer fabric and the inner fabric. As the conventional cups 12 use two or more types of fabrics, the fabrication thereof is complicated, time-consuming, and high-cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One objective of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a bra structure, which is integrally and seamlessly fabricated via compression-molding a single piece of a 3D fabric substrate, such as a spacer fabric or a sandwich fabric, whereby is exempted from the complexity of the conventional bra fabricated via sewing together several pieces of fabrics, and whereby is free of seams affecting the esthetic effect, wherefore is solved the problems mentioned above.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a bra structure, which is integrally and seamlessly fabricated via compression-molding a single piece of a 3D fabric substrate, and which has the characteristics of 3D fabrics and is air-permeable, thin, lightweight, pressure-free, and comfortable, and which is seamless and conformable to breasts and has higher breast-supporting capability.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a bra structure, which is suitable to be exposed or worn externally for a fashion effect.

Still objective of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a bra structure, whose fabrication time is decreased, and whose fabrication cost is reduced.

In order to achieve the above mentioned objectives, the present invention proposes a method for fabricating a bra structure, including steps of forming an integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate, and compression-molding said integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate to form said bra structure. The bra structure includes two cups connected to each other, each having an apex area and a peripheral area, wherein each said apex is proximate centrally middle area of an associated cup of the two cups and each said peripheral is proximate laterally outer area of said associated cup, and two wings respectively extending from said peripheral areas of said two cups, wherein ends of said wings, which are far away from said cups, are configured to be fastened together. The two cups and two wings are made of said integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate, and the integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate is compressed to have a larger thickness in the apex areas than in said peripheral areas and said wings.

In one embodiment, after compression-molding, the 3D knitted-fabric substrate is gradually thinned from the apex areas to the peripheral areas. In one embodiment, after compression-molding, a thickness of the 3D knitted-fabric substrate in each the peripheral area is equal to or smaller than a thickness of the 3D fabric substrate in the associated wing. In one embodiment, after compression-molding, the 3D knitted-fabric substrate in each the wing is gradually thinned from one end of the associated wing, which is near the associated cup, to another end of the associated wing, which is far away from the associated cup.

In one embodiment, each the apex area is at a center of the associated cup and occupies 30-50% area of the cups; the 3D knitted-fabric substrate is 2 mm-10 mm thick in each the apex area, and wherein the 3D knitted-fabric substrate is 0.1 mm-5 mm thick in each the peripheral area and each the wing.

In one embodiment, the two cups are connected by a central member, and wherein the two cups, the central member and the two wings are integrally fabricated via compression-molding a single piece of the 3D knitted-fabric substrate. In one embodiment, the 3D knitted-fabric substrate is a sandwich fabric or a spacer fabric.

In one embodiment, the 3D knitted-fabric substrate includes an upper fabric layer, a lower fabric layer, and a middle fabric layer between the upper fabric layer and the lower fabric layer, and wherein the middle fabric layer is formed by several pieces of waved yarn, and wherein crests of the waved yarn are connected with the upper fabric layer, and wherein troughs of the waved yarn are connected with the lower fabric layer. In one embodiment, the waved yarn of the middle fabric layer is formed by monofilaments.

In one embodiment, either the upper fabric layer or the lower fabric layer is knitted with shrinkable core-spun yarn. Either the upper fabric layer or the lower fabric layer is knitted with polyester yarn, elastic yarn, nylon yarn, cotton yarn, rayon yarn, or a combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the method further includes a step of forming an outer covering layer stuck to an outer surface of the 3D knitted-fabric substrate. The 3D knitted-fabric substrate and the outer covering layer are jointly compression-molded to integrally form the two cups connected to each other and the two wings extended from the cups.

In one embodiment, the outer covering layer is a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, a woolen fabric, a nylon fabric, a rayon fabric, a polyester fabric, or a cotton fabric.

In one embodiment, jacquard, embossing, printing or a combination thereof is formed on at least one surface of the 3D knitted-fabric substrate. In one embodiment, bordering elements are sewed on a portion of edges of the cups and the wings, and wherein steel wires are disposed in lower edges of inner sides of the cups.

In one embodiment, the method further includes a step of forming two shoulder straps. One end of each the shoulder strap is connected with an upper edge of the associated cup, and another end of the shoulder strap is connected with an upper edge of the associated wing connected with the associated cup.

In one embodiment, ends of the two wings, which are far away from the cups, are fastened together with a hook and eye fastening mechanism, a hook and loop fastening mechanism, or an elastic ribbon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a conventional bra structure with multiple seams;

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a bra structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view schematically showing a bra structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing an application of a bra structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a 3D fabric substrate used by a bra structure according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing molds used to fabricate a bra structure according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Refer to FIG. 2 a diagram schematically showing a bra structure according to one embodiment of the present invention. The bra structure 30 of the present invention comprises two cups 32 and 32′ connected to each other. Two wings 34 and 34′ are respectively extended from the edges of the two cups 32 and 32′. A single piece of a seamless 3D fabric substrate 36 is compression-molded to integrally form the cups 32 and 32′ and the wings 34 and 34′. Refer to FIG. 3, each of the cups 32 and 32′ includes an apex area 321 (or 321′) and a peripheral area 322 (or 322′). The wings 34 and 34′ are respectively extended from the edges of the peripheral areas 322 and 322′. As shown in FIG. 3, after compression-molding, the 3D fabric substrate 36 has a larger thickness in the apex areas 321 and 321′ than in the peripheral areas 322 and 322′ and the wings 34 and 34′.

In one embodiment, the apex areas 321 and 321′ are respectively about at the centers of the cups 32 and 32′. Each of the apex areas 321 and 321′ occupies 30-50% area of the cup 32 or 32′. The peripheral areas 322 and 322′ respectively surround the apex areas 321 and 321′. Two cups 32 and 32′ are connected by a central member 38. The central member 38 is fabricated to have a strip-like shape, a belt-like shape, or a triangle-like shape. The cups 32 and 32′, the central member 38 and the wings 34 and 34′ are simultaneously integrally fabricated via compression-molding a single piece of the seamless 3D fabric substrate 36. In one embodiment, fastening eye positioning grooves 40 where fastening eyes will be installed are simultaneously compression-molded at one end of the wing 34′, which is far away from the cup 32′. The fastening eyes are corresponding to the hooks installed on the other wing 34. The two wings 34 and 34′ can thus be fastened together with the eyes and hooks. In one embodiment, two ends of the wings 34 and 34′, which are far away from the cups 32 and 32′, are fastened together with a hook-and-loop mechanism or an elastic ribbon.

In one embodiment, after compression-molding, the thickness of the 3D fabric substrate 36 in the cups 32 and 32′ is gradually decreased from the apex areas 321 and 321′ to the peripheral areas 322 and 322′. In one embodiment, after compression-molding, the thickness of the 3D fabric substrate 36 in the peripheral areas 322 and 322′ is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the 3D fabric substrate 36 in the wings 34 and 34′. The thickness may be evenly distributed or variable in the wings 34 and 34′. In one embodiment, after compression-molding, the thickness of the 3D fabric substrate 36 in the wing 34 (34′) is gradually decreased from one end of the wing 34 (34′), which is near the cup 32 (32′), to the other end of the wing 34 (34′), which is far away from the cup 32 (32′). In one embodiment, the 3D fabric substrate 36 is about 2 mm-10 mm thick in the apex areas 321 and 321′ and 0.1 mm-5 mm thick in the peripheral areas 322 and 322′ and the wings 34 and 34′.

In one embodiment, the 3D fabric substrate 36 includes an upper fabric layer 361, a lower fabric layer 363 and a middle fabric layer 362 between the upper fabric layer 361 and the lower fabric layer 363. The upper fabric layer 361, the middle fabric layer 362, and the lower fabric layer 363 are knitted in a 3D knitting method to form a sandwich fabric (also called the spacer fabric). In one embodiment, the middle fabric layer 362 is formed by several pieces of waved yarn, wherein the crests of the waved yarn are connected with the upper fabric layer 361, and the troughs of the waved are connected with the lower fabric layer 363. The 3D fabric substrate 36 whose middle fabric layer 362 is formed by waved yarn is favorable to air permeability. In one embodiment, the waved yarn of the middle fabric layer 362 is formed by monofilaments.

Refer to FIG. 6, the bra structure 30 of the present invention is compression-molded with a male mold 50 and a female mold 52. In one embodiment, the gap 54 between the closed male mold 50 and female mold 52 determines the thicknesses of the 3D fabric substrate 36 in all local regions of the cups 32 and 32′ and the thicknesses of the 3D fabric substrate 36 in all local regions of the wings 34 and 34′. The wider the gap 54, the larger the thickness the 3D fabric substrate 36; the narrower the gap 54, the smaller the thickness the 3D fabric substrate 36. In one embodiment, the gap 54 of the closed male mold 50 and female mold 52, which is to form the apex areas 321 and 321′, is corresponding to the thickness of the pre-compression-molded 3D fabric substrate 36. The present invention is characterized in compression-molding a 3D fabric substrate to integrally form the cups and the wings. The bra structure 30 merely using a single piece of fabric favors decreasing fabrication time and reducing fabrication cost.

In one embodiment, the upper fabric layer 361 and/or the lower fabric layer 362 is knitted with shrinkable core-spun yarn. The core-spun yarn of the upper fabric layer 361 and/or the lower fabric layer 362 is knitted with polyester yarn, elastic yarn, nylon yarn, cotton yarn, rayon yarn, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, jacquard, embossing, printing or a combination thereof is formed on the upper fabric layer 361 and/or the lower fabric layer 362.

The bra structure 30, which is fabricated via compression-molding a single piece of fabric (the 3D fabric substrate), can be further fabricated to meet different requirements. Refer to FIG. 4 a diagram schematically showing an application of a bra structure according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the perimeters of the cups 32 and 32′ and the wings 34 and 34′ are sewed with bordering elements 42. In one embodiment, the 3D fabric substrate 36 is gradually thinned from the apex areas 321 and 321′ (shown in FIG. 2) to the peripheral areas 322 and 322′ (shown in FIG. 2). The thinner perimeters of the cups 32 and 32′ favor sewing the bordering elements 42. In FIG. 4, steel arches 44 and 44′ are disposed in the lower edges of the inner sides of the cups 32 and 32′ to enhance the support effect. In one embodiment, the bra structure 30 further comprises two shoulder straps 46 and 46′. One end of the shoulder strap 46/46′ is connected with the upper edge of the cup 32/32′ or connected with a position near the upper edge of the cup 32/32′; the other end of the shoulder strap 46/46′ is connected with the upper edge of the wing 34/34′.

Refer to FIG. 5 a diagram schematically showing a 3D fabric substrate used by a bra structure according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, before compression-molding, an outer covering layer 48 is stuck to at least one outer surface of the 3D fabric substrate 36. The outer covering layer 48 is a fabric different from the 3D fabric substrate 36, such as a knitted fabric or a woven fabric. The woven fabric may be woven with woolen yarn, nylon yarn, rayon yarn, polyester yarn, or cotton yarn. In fabricating the bra structure 30, the 3D fabric substrate 36 and the outer covering layer 48 stuck to the 3D fabric substrate 36 are placed between the male mold and the female mold, and the male mold and the female mold are pressed together to form the bra structure 30. In the design of the bra structure 30 with the outer covering layer 48, the outer covering layers 48 of different materials and different patterns can present different visual effects. Thereby, the bra structure 30 is suitable to be exposed or worn externally.

In the present invention, only a single piece of fabric (the 3D fabric substrate) is used to fabricate the bra structure. Therefore, the present invention can simplify the fabrication process, decrease the material cost and lower the fabrication cost. Further, the bra structure of the present invention is integrally and seamlessly fabricated via compression-molding a single piece of a 3D fabric substrate. Therefore, the present invention is exempted from the complexity of the conventional bra fabricated via sewing together several pieces of fabrics and free of seams affecting the esthetic effect. Furthermore, the present invention compression-molds a single piece of fabric to integrally form the bra structure. Therefore, the present invention can save the fabrication time and further lower the fabrication cost. As the present invention compression-molds a single piece of a seamless 3D fabric substrate to integrally form the bra structure, the bra structure is air-permeable, thin, lightweight and pressure-free. Moreover, as the bra structure of the present invention is seamless, it is conformable to breasts and has better breast-supporting capability. In addition to having a simpler fabrication process, the bra structure with an outer covering layer stuck to the 3D fabric substrate can use the materials and patterns of the outer covering layer to present different visual effects. Hence, the bra structure of the present invention is suitable to be worn or exposed externally for a fashion effect.

Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that other modifications and variation can be made without departing the spirit and scope of the invention as hereafter claimed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for fabricating a bra structure, comprising the following steps of: forming an integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate; and compression-molding said integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate to form said bra structure; wherein said bra structure comprises: two cups connected to each other, each having an apex area and a peripheral area, wherein each said apex is proximate centrally middle area of an associated cup of the two cups and each said peripheral is proximate laterally outer area of said associated cup; and two wings respectively extending from said peripheral areas of said two cups, wherein ends of said wings, which are far away from said cups, are configured to be fastened together; wherein said two cups and two wings are made of said integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate, and wherein said integral 3D knitted-fabric substrate is compressed to have a larger thickness in said apex areas than in said peripheral areas and said wings.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein after compression-molding, said 3D knitted-fabric substrate is gradually thinned from said apex areas to said peripheral areas.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein after compression-molding, a thickness of said 3D knitted-fabric substrate in each said peripheral area is equal to or smaller than a thickness of said 3D fabric substrate in said associated wing.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein after compression-molding, said 3D knitted-fabric substrate in each said wing is gradually thinned from one end of said associated wing, which is near said associated cup, to another end of said associated wing, which is far away from said associated cup.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein each said apex area is at a center of said associated cup and occupies 30-50% area of said cups.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said 3D knitted-fabric substrate is 2 mm-10 mm thick in each said apex area, and wherein said 3D knitted-fabric substrate is 0.1 mm-5 mm thick in each said peripheral area and each said wing.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said two cups are connected by a central member, and wherein said two cups, said central member and said two wings are integrally fabricated via compression-molding a single piece of said 3D knitted-fabric substrate.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said 3D knitted-fabric substrate is a sandwich fabric or a spacer fabric.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said 3D knitted-fabric substrate includes an upper fabric layer, a lower fabric layer, and a middle fabric layer between said upper fabric layer and said lower fabric layer, and wherein said middle fabric layer is formed by several pieces of waved yarn, and wherein crests of said waved yarn are connected with said upper fabric layer, and wherein troughs of said waved yarn are connected with said lower fabric layer.
 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said waved yarn of said middle fabric layer is formed by monofilaments.
 11. The method according to claim 9 wherein either said upper fabric layer or said lower fabric layer is knitted with shrinkable core-spun yarn.
 12. The method according to claim 9, wherein either said upper fabric layer or said lower fabric layer is knitted with polyester yarn, elastic yarn, nylon yarn, cotton yarn, rayon yarn, or a combination thereof.
 13. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of forming an outer covering layer stuck to an outer surface of said 3D knitted-fabric substrate, wherein said 3D knitted-fabric substrate and said outer covering layer are jointly compression-molded to integrally form said two cups connected to each other and said two wings extended from said cups.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said outer covering layer is a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, a woolen fabric, a nylon fabric, a rayon fabric, a polyester fabric, or a cotton fabric.
 15. The method according to claim 1, wherein jacquard, embossing, printing or a combination thereof is formed on at least one surface of said 3D knitted-fabric substrate.
 16. The method according to claim 1, wherein bordering elements are sewed on a portion of edges of said cups and said wings, and wherein steel wires are disposed in lower edges of inner sides of said cups.
 17. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of forming two shoulder straps, wherein one end of each said shoulder strap is connected with an upper edge of said associated cup, and wherein another end of said shoulder strap is connected with an upper edge of said associated wing connected with said associated cup.
 18. The method according to claim 1, wherein ends of said two wings, which are far away from said cups, are fastened together with a hook and eye fastening mechanism, a hook and loop fastening mechanism, or an elastic ribbon. 